Chapter 8
LB
Thinking I was going to share Ancient Runes with the other Gryffindor fifth years, I was disappointment to see there were only four Ravenclaws and three Slytherin boys. The Ravenclaws all looked wary at me as they paired up. I was about to take an empty seat in front of the class, when one of the Slytherin boys who sat alone beckoned me over. I saw the other Slytherin boys look at their friend with raised eyebrows and even the Ravenclaws looked shocked.
"You can sit here." He said, putting his bag on the floor.
"Thanks." I glanced at him as I put my bag next to my chair.
"Babbling was going to put us together anyway; she'll be happy to have an even number." He shrugged; his face emotionless.
"I figured." I said in the same tone and blank expression, worthy of a Slytherin. The boy looked at me with raised eyebrows for a hot second before he looked to the front of the class, his mask back in place. I crossed my legs on my chair, making myself comfortable as I took my book out. We worked next to each other in complete silence for almost half an hour, before I heard the two other Slytherin's whisper next to the boy.
"Do you think Black is close family of hers?"
"I heard it's her father."
"Think she has his traits?"
"What? As if she's a mass murderer? I could see it."
I wrote down the wrong answer on my paper because of what they said. But I just pursed my lips and changed it, trying to ignore the boys.
"Hot for a mass murderer's daughter though." The one with dark thick wild eyebrows snickered.
"I would tap that, even if she's a –" The boy didn't get to finish his sentence as I scoffed. The still unnamed boy next to me looked to me with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"Even if you two were the last people in the world, I wouldn't touch you with a ten-meter pole." I said not bothering to look up. The boys wanted to retort but Professor Babbling asked for a volunteer just then. "I can do it, professor."
"Excellent, excellent." The professor smiled broadly and gestured with her hand to come to the board. I dropped my legs to the ground and pushed myself up. "I was wondering what you got in store for me, miss Lupin-Black." The professor said as she leaned against her desk, watching me work the assignment.
"We were wondering what's in store for us under that skirt." One of the boys whispered, but it wasn't quiet enough and the professor's head snapped to him.
"Ten points from Slytherin and detention, mister Gore."
I smiled as I finished writing on the board and looked to the professor. "So, think I did okay?" I asked as I stepped away from the blackboard, to look at what I did.
"I should say more than okay. You even added things you will only learn in two years." She exclaimed excited and clapped her hands. "Ten points for Gryffindor." She announced to the class as she turned. "I should look at Beauxbatons curriculum." She murmured.
"I could get it for you, if you want." I offered.
"Really?" She asked surprised, her eyes wide and I nodded with a smile. "If it's not too much trouble."
"It isn't." She smiled. "I'll get it to you as soon as possible."
"Oh, take your time, dear." She smiled and ushered a quick apology. "Oh, sorry, miss Lupin-Black."
"It's okay." I chuckled before heading back to my seat. I crossed my legs again on my seat and saw the boy look at me, the corners of his mouth twitched. "Something funny?" I asked, scribbling in my notebook.
"No." He said slowly. "Just... that doesn't look comfortable for me." He nudged his head to my lap.
"Hm." I hummed and glanced sideways at him. "Probably because I'm more limber than you." I pulled back a grin as I saw an eyebrow rise again and looked back to my book. The boy looked at me for a moment before turning back to his book. The rest of the class we worked next to each other in silence.
LB
"Are you ready, cub?" Remus asked as I took the right stance. Our wands were placed on the cupboard in the corner, our shoes on the floor in front of it. I had traded my school robes for dark grey sweatpants and a loose, black shirt, my hair was pulled up in a high ponytail. Remus was standing in front of me with a similar look, baggy light grey sweatpants with a faded Queens t-shirt. We were standing in an empty classroom, and we transfigured some blankets in gymnastic mats that covered the entire floor. I twisted my bare feet on the blue mat and nodded my head.
Remus grinned as he beckoned me over. I pushed off the mat and ran over to him. I made a feigned movement with my arm before I slid on the mat kicking his feet from under him. Remus fell down with a thud but rolled over in an instant and was back on his feet. I hopped back up and we took our stance again. Remus lunged first now, I dodged his punch and slammed my fist on his side, landing on his kidney. He groaned at the pain, but before I could retract my hand, he grabbed it and twisted it to my own back. I struggled against his grip, but he didn't let go. One hand kept my arm behind me while the other wrapped around my neck, my back to him.
"How are you going to get out of this?" Remus asked serious. I tried to turn and twist, but he was too strong. I thought about it before I stomped his bare foot with my heel. His grip loosened by the unexpected impact, and I used it to my advantage. I rammed my elbow in his ribs and his grip became loose enough for me to turn. I raised my hands and reached up to poke my thumbs in his eyes. "Fuck!" Remus grumbled. I stumbled back, thinking I overstepped. I was just to apologize when Remus started to laugh. "You seriously poked me in the eyes!"
"Well..." I started laughing with him as we went to grab our water bottles. I dried my neck and head off with my towel. "Courtois taught me to take advantage of the unexpected." I shrugged as I twisted the lid off.
"That certainly was unexpected." He grinned. "Esmee was a great teacher."
"I miss her."
"Me too, cub. Me too." He rubbed my arm, and we both drank the half of our bottles empty in silence. I placed my water bottle back on the cupboard and looked at him.
"Ready for round two, old man?"
"Old man?" He raised his eyebrow. "This old man is going to kick your ass, Alexandra Fae Lupin-Black."
"That is a mouthful, isn't it?" I chuckled as we took our stance in front of each other again. "Bring it, Remus John Lupin."
"It's uncle Moony to you." He said before he lunged at me.
LB
"Hey, Ange." I dropped down next to her at Charms, the fourth day of classes.
"Here I thought you didn't know us anymore." She pouted.
"Sorry, it's been... a lot to adjust." I smiled apologetically. "Still getting used to the castle."
"Hm, I understand." She said as she opened her book. "Why don't we show you around the castle tonight?"
"Aren't they really strict now with ..." I let the sentence hang there, but she knew what I meant.
"They are. But the twins have their way to get around unnoticed."
"Oh, really?" I chuckled as I glanced to the twins, who were sitting on the other side of the room, facing us. The twins both gave me a lopsided grin before turning to the professor. "It could be fun."
"Sit with us tonight at dinner alright?" Angelina asked. "At breakfast you always sit with professor Lupin, you're never at lunch and at dinner you sit alone or with other Gryffindors."
"I try to get to know more people than just you guys." I chuckled.
"Where do you go during lunch?"
"Shh, the professor is talking." I grinned as I ignored her question. "But I'll sit with you guys tonight."
"I will figure it out, you know." Angelina huffed with a smile.
I liked Angelina, she was funny, smart and straightforward. She was one of the most popular girls in our year, just like the twins were one of the most popular boys. How I had become one of their friends, I had no idea. It's not like I was unpopular or didn't have any friends, but Beauxbatons was a very large school with three maybe four times the amount of people than Hogwarts. I had a large group of friends, but you just couldn't compare the school most popular girls and boys, clicks, friendships to how it works here. I've only been here for about five days, but the interhouse rivalry was prominent, and I hated it! The worst of the bunch was Gryffindor vs Slytherin. You could see it in every class, the hallway and even the great hall. I was a bit scared to go watch a quidditch game between the two of them. I hoped to break the vicious cycle, but the few Slytherins I had spoken to didn't help the matter. But I don't give up that easily, I'll break them. One by one if I have to. I shook my head and turned my attention back to the professor who was still talking as he stood on his pile of books. I pulled my feet up and sat cross-legged on the chair again, like I did in every class. Angelina grinned at my position but didn't comment as she flicked to the right page.
LB
After my free period, I walked to the great hall for dinner. When I entered Angelina was already waving at me as she kept a place for me next to her. I walked over and sat down next to her. Alicia was sitting across from us next to Lee. The moment I sat down, they all started to load their plates.
"You didn't have to wait for me." I said as I filled my own.
"It's the polite thing to do." Lee winked.
"So, you guys wait for me, but not your best friends?"
"Nah." Lee waved his fork. "Those two knuckle heads won't be down any time soon."
"Busy with their "sweets"? Angelina asked and Lee nodded, his mouth full.
"Alicia, Angelina told me you're taking muggle studies?" I asked the quiet girl. The first time I met her she didn't seem like the silent type. Maybe I guessed wrong, or maybe she doesn't really like me hanging out with her friends.
"I am." She said but didn't elaborate. Lee furrowed his brows but didn't say anything. I turned to Angelina confused. She just shook her head with a sigh and turned back to eat.
"So, Alec. Tell me about those Beauxbatons girls." Lee asked after dinner was replaced by dessert.
"We want to know too." The twins had finally appeared, and one sat down next to me while the other sat down next to Lee.
"What's there to tell, they are girls. Just like the girls here."
"But they are French, and pretty and..." I held up my hand to stop Fred next to me, who looked like he was daydreaming.
"Sorry to burst your bubble, boys. But they're just girls. Yeah, there maybe be a handful of girls with Veela blood in them, but otherwise." I shrugged. "And it's more than just French girls. They come from at least six countries. And there are pretty girls here too. Besides a lot of them are vain and a handful, believe me."
"So, pretty girls here, he?" George wiggled his eyebrows in front of me.
"I can recognize any beautiful girl without shame. You can't say the same about boys, can you?" I challenged with a grin. And the twins stuttered with a slightly shocked face. "That's what I thought."
"And boys? Can you tell that without shame?" Fred asked, a large grin plastered on his face as he leaned on his hand.
"I can, but..." I searched around the table. "Can't seem to find any." The boys scoffed and Angelina chocked on her pumpkin juice. "You alright there, Ange?" I chuckled as I clapped her back.
"I'm good." She smiled once she had cleaned up. "You say the girls from France are vain, but you just broke the boys' hearts." She laughed as she nudged her head to them. I turned in my seat and saw the boys pouting as they looked at the back of a spoon, setting their hair right. "I think they're even worse."
"I'm not so sure about that." I snickered as I stood up and ruffled their hair. I took Angelina's hand and ran out of the great hall. The twins running after us, combing their fingers through their hair. Lee was talking to Alicia before he came over alone. "Isn't she coming?"
"Says she's tired." Lee said as he looked over his shoulder back to the girl, who had moved from her seat, to sit next to a fourth year.
"She doesn't like me." I said as we walked through the corridor. I took a scrunchy out of my bag and put my hair in a high lose bun.
"It's not that..." Angelina started, and I looked to her.
"Is it because of my family? Because I'm a ... Black?"
"No, no." George said as he came to stand on my other side. "She just -"
"Doesn't know you." Fred added next to Angelina.
"Neither do you." I pointed out as they led me to the right. "So, what's the difference?"
"In all honesty?" Lee asked, and the others shot him a look.
"Yes. I only want to know the truth."
"It's partially because she doesn't know you and part of her is jealous."
"Jealous?" I asked incredulously. "Of what?"
"The mystery that is you." Lee said.
"The looks." Fred added with a wink.
"The raw talent." George added. "And Angelina."
I stopped the four of them just as we were headed out of the castle. "Hold up. First-" I pointed to Lee. "I'm not mysterious."
"You are." They all said. "The whole school talks about you." Fred added.
"Great." I rolled my eyes. "Looks?" I pursed my lips at Fred. "Alicia is a beautiful girl, she doesn't have anything to be jealous of, believe me." I said as I pulled my sleeve. The twins had noticed the movement but didn't comment on it. Lastly, I turned to George. "Raw talent?" I shook my head. "Hard work is what it is. If I would tell you my schedule from the past years, you would think I'm mental."
"But you think it's true? About me?" Angelina asked.
"I do." I said. "She may think I'm trying to steal her best friend. So, next time in Charms sit back next to her. I'll sit -"
"With me." The twins both exclaimed happily. I turned to look at them with raised eyebrows and saw them glare at each other before turning back to me with a grin. "I think I'll sit with one from Hufflepuff." I locked my arms with Angelina and walked her out of the castle.
